rushing to his side.
“I’m fine,” he lied. If he moved his head in the slightest, the field would spin. “It’s probably the humid air. I’ll go sit in the shade a bit.”
“Billy,” Em said, “Go fetch the lieutenant some water.”
The boy took off running.
Jasper walked closely beside Levi, but thankfully didn’t insist on supporting him. A man needed to protect his pride. Levi was tired of being weak. It was time he went back to his company. It was likely no longer his company. They’d have assigned another lieutenant to take over his duties.
He was honest with himself, however. Rolla was at least one hundred and thirty miles away. It would take days to walk there, even when he was stronger. He didn’t mind staying with Em, but not if he couldn’t pull his own weight.
Lowering himself to sit against the tree, he caught Em’s eye. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?” She sat a few feet away, her legs curled under her skirt.
“I’m causing you more work. I should be able to alleviate some of what you’re required to do, not add to it.”
She motioned to her hired hand, who’d gone back to planting. “With Jasper back, I have even less to do than when Tom was here. The primary job at hand for you is to heal.”
“It’s taking so long. I’m rarely sick. I’m not used to lying around.”
“It won’t be much longer. Your color is so much better. Your strength will return, too.”
Another two weeks dragged by before Levi was able to work for any length of time without getting dizzy or having his head pound. He’d been able to hide the dizzy spells from Em. He hated making her worry. She had so much to worry about without him.
One evening after supper when the air had cooled slightly, Levi asked Em if she’d like to walk. “I must get used to walking longer distances. Will you come with me?”
“I’d love to.”
“Can I come?” Susie asked, bouncing to her feet from her chair.
“Why don’t you stay and help me read to Harvey?” Ma offered. “He gets tired of hearing my voice all day.”
“All right,” Susie whined. “But I’d rather go walking.”
“We’ll go tomorrow,” Maggie said. “We can see if the paw paws are ripening.”
Levi caught Em mouthing thank you to Maggie. He wished he could add his own thanks, but it wouldn’t be proper.
The sky was still light, the air warm and thick. He led the way toward the road, remembering to pace himself. Distance rather than speed, at least for the time being. Speed would come.
“Have you thought about returning to the army?” Em asked.
“I think about it daily. Will I be strong enough? When will I be strong enough? Will your family have enough food to make it through the winter?”
Em laughed lightly. “With one less mouth to feed, it’ll last longer. Oh, you know I’m teasing. You’re welcome here as long as you care to stay.”
“I know, and I’m grateful. Your family has been so good to me.”
“What of your family? I know you’ve written them, but I’d think you’d want to see them before marching off again somewhere.”
“I do.” He sighed. “But I have no way of getting there with the Confederates being in Springfield. I can’t catch a stage. I can’t buy a horse at the stables in the city, either. If I’m seen, even wearing Tom’s clothes, they’ll either enlist me or take me prisoner as a yank. I need to make my way to Rolla, report to Major Clanton, and request permission to return home until I’m fully recovered.”
“I doubt anyone around here has a horse to sell. Most were probably lucky to hang on to the ones they had.”
He nodded.
“Perhaps I can go to Springfield for you. Or I can send Jasper. Do you have the money for a horse?”
Levi rubbed his shoulder, which still ached at odd times. “I like the idea of you going alone to Springfield only slightly more than sending Jasper. It wouldn’t be safe for him. You shouldn’t have too much trouble, though.”
“I can take
“I’m fine,” he lied. If he moved his head in the slightest, the field would spin. “It’s probably the humid air. I’ll go sit in the shade a bit.”
“Billy,” Em said, “Go fetch the lieutenant some water.”
The boy took off running.
Jasper walked closely beside Levi, but thankfully didn’t insist on supporting him. A man needed to protect his pride. Levi was tired of being weak. It was time he went back to his company. It was likely no longer his company. They’d have assigned another lieutenant to take over his duties.
He was honest with himself, however. Rolla was at least one hundred and thirty miles away. It would take days to walk there, even when he was stronger. He didn’t mind staying with Em, but not if he couldn’t pull his own weight.
Lowering himself to sit against the tree, he caught Em’s eye. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?” She sat a few feet away, her legs curled under her skirt.
“I’m causing you more work. I should be able to alleviate some of what you’re required to do, not add to it.”
She motioned to her hired hand, who’d gone back to planting. “With Jasper back, I have even less to do than when Tom was here. The primary job at hand for you is to heal.”
“It’s taking so long. I’m rarely sick. I’m not used to lying around.”
“It won’t be much longer. Your color is so much better. Your strength will return, too.”
Another two weeks dragged by before Levi was able to work for any length of time without getting dizzy or having his head pound. He’d been able to hide the dizzy spells from Em. He hated making her worry. She had so much to worry about without him.
One evening after supper when the air had cooled slightly, Levi asked Em if she’d like to walk. “I must get used to walking longer distances. Will you come with me?”
“I’d love to.”
“Can I come?” Susie asked, bouncing to her feet from her chair.
“Why don’t you stay and help me read to Harvey?” Ma offered. “He gets tired of hearing my voice all day.”
“All right,” Susie whined. “But I’d rather go walking.”
“We’ll go tomorrow,” Maggie said. “We can see if the paw paws are ripening.”
Levi caught Em mouthing thank you to Maggie. He wished he could add his own thanks, but it wouldn’t be proper.
The sky was still light, the air warm and thick. He led the way toward the road, remembering to pace himself. Distance rather than speed, at least for the time being. Speed would come.
“Have you thought about returning to the army?” Em asked.
“I think about it daily. Will I be strong enough? When will I be strong enough? Will your family have enough food to make it through the winter?”
Em laughed lightly. “With one less mouth to feed, it’ll last longer. Oh, you know I’m teasing. You’re welcome here as long as you care to stay.”
“I know, and I’m grateful. Your family has been so good to me.”
“What of your family? I know you’ve written them, but I’d think you’d want to see them before marching off again somewhere.”
“I do.” He sighed. “But I have no way of getting there with the Confederates being in Springfield. I can’t catch a stage. I can’t buy a horse at the stables in the city, either. If I’m seen, even wearing Tom’s clothes, they’ll either enlist me or take me prisoner as a yank. I need to make my way to Rolla, report to Major Clanton, and request permission to return home until I’m fully recovered.”
“I doubt anyone around here has a horse to sell. Most were probably lucky to hang on to the ones they had.”
He nodded.
“Perhaps I can go to Springfield for you. Or I can send Jasper. Do you have the money for a horse?”
Levi rubbed his shoulder, which still ached at odd times. “I like the idea of you going alone to Springfield only slightly more than sending Jasper. It wouldn’t be safe for him. You shouldn’t have too much trouble, though.”
“I can take
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